JPH10125960A - Thermoelectric conversion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermoelectric conversion device which is high in efficiency and where heat transfer from a high-temperature heat exchanger to a low-temperature heat exchanger through thermal radiation is lessened as much as possible. SOLUTION: A thermoelectric conversion device is equipped with two heat exchangers 1 and 2, thermoelectric elements 3 each composed of a P-type semiconductor 4 and an N-type semiconductor 5 connected in series through the intermediary of a metal electrode 6 are arranged between the heat exchangers 1 and 2, one of the adjacent metal electrodes 6 is connected to one of the heat exchangers 1 and 2, and the other metal electrodes 6 is connected to the other of the heat exchangers 1 and 2. In this case, the P-type semiconductor 4 and the N-type semiconductor 5 are connected together through the intermediary of the metal electrode 6 as bridged with the metal electrode 6 connected to both the upper edges or lower edges of the semiconductors 4 and 5, wherein the surface of either the heat exchanger 1 or the heat exchanger 2 which confronts the inner face of the electrode 6 is turned to a roughened face 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric converter for converting electricity into heat.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a thermoelectric converter of this type,
There is one utilizing the Peltier effect as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-178554.

[0003] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there are two substantially flat heat exchangers 1.2 arranged opposite to each other, and between the heat exchangers 1.2, Thermoelectric element 3 comprising at least one pair of P-type semiconductor 4 and N-type semiconductor 5
Consisting of In this conventional example, a plurality of P-type semiconductors 4 and N-type semiconductors 5 are alternately arranged.
The P-type semiconductor 4 and the N-type semiconductor 5 have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a metal electrode 6 is interposed to connect the two in series. The P-type semiconductor 4 and the N-type semiconductor 5 are connected at their upper ends or at their lower ends by cross-linking at the electrode 6, and the outer surface of the electrode 6 alternately comes into contact with the heat exchanger 1 or 2. It is connected to the heat exchanger 1 or 2 with the heat effect enhanced. And now, from the electrode 6 on the heat exchanger 1 side,
When electricity is supplied to the electrode 6 on the heat exchanger 2 side, the heat exchanger 2
Is a heat absorbing source, and the heat exchanger 1 is a heat generating source.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, the heat exchanger 1 on the high heat side and the heat exchanger 2 on the low heat side are arranged so as to face each other. In addition, heat transfer from the high heat side to the low heat side due to heat radiation occurs, and as a result, there is a disadvantage that the thermoelectric conversion efficiency is reduced. In particular, when the thermoelectric conversion device is made thinner as in recent years, the distance between the two becomes smaller, and this problem is remarkable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is to minimize heat transfer due to heat radiation from a heat exchanger on a high temperature side to a heat exchanger on a low temperature side. Another object of the present invention is to provide a highly efficient thermoelectric conversion device.

[0006]

The thermoelectric converter according to the present invention comprises a plurality of P-type semiconductors 4 between two substantially flat heat exchangers 1.2 arranged so as to oppose each other. And a thermoelectric element 3 formed by joining an N-type semiconductor 5 in series via a metal electrode 6, and connecting one of the adjacent electrodes 6 to one of the heat exchangers 1.2, In a thermoelectric converter in which one of the adjacent electrodes 6 is connected to the other of the heat exchanger 1.2, the P-type semiconductor 4 and the N-type
The type semiconductor 5 is such that upper end portions or lower end portions are connected to electrodes 6.
The heat exchanger 1 or 2 faces the inner surface of the electrode 6 with a rough surface 7.

As the heat exchanger 1.2, a metal plate having a large thermal conductivity, a thin plate-like package in which a heat storage material, a heat medium, or the like is sealed is used.

The provision of the rough surface 7 on the heat exchanger 1 or 2 includes sanding, etching, shot peening,
This is performed by shaping at the time of molding with a mold. The shot peening process is simple and effective when the heat exchanger 1 or 2 is formed from a metal plate. In the etching process, a thin synthetic resin plate-like package in which a heat storage material or a heat medium is sealed is inserted into the heat exchanger 1 or 2.
It is effective in the case that it is, and it can be formed at the same time when a synthetic resin plate-like package is cast with a mold,
This is advantageous in manufacturing.

As described above, as a result of providing the rough surface 7, the heat radiated from the heat exchanger 1 or 2 on the high temperature side, which is a heat source, to the heat exchanger 1 or 2 on the low temperature side is scattered. (Weakened the directivity of the radiant heat), and the amount of radiant heat exchange between them becomes small. As a result, the efficiency of the thermoelectric conversion device can be increased.

Here, it is effective if the rough surface 7 is provided on one of the heat exchangers 1 and 2 on the high temperature side, but it is effective if the rough surface 7 is provided on one of the heat exchangers 1 and 2 on the high temperature side. If it is also provided, it scatters and reflects the arriving heat, so that it is more effective.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A thermoelectric converter according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

This thermoelectric conversion device has a plurality of substantially rectangular P-type semiconductors 4 and N-type semiconductors 5 between two substantially flat heat exchangers 1.2 arranged so as to oppose each other. Are arranged in series via a metal electrode 6, and one of the adjacent electrodes 6 is connected to one of the heat exchangers 1.2, and the adjacent electrodes 6 are connected. In the thermoelectric conversion device in which one of the two is connected to the other of the heat exchanger 1.2, the P-type semiconductor 4 and the N-type semiconductor 5 are connected by bridging the upper end portions or the lower end portions with the electrode 6. The surface facing either of the heat exchangers 1 and 2 with respect to the inner surface of the electrode 6 is formed as a rough surface 7.

The heat exchanger 1.2 is formed from an aluminum plate, and has a rough surface 7 formed on its surface by shot peening.

In this thermoelectric conversion device, when the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 1 is selected as a positive electrode or a negative electrode and the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 2 is an intermediate electrode, the current is When the current flows to the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 1, the N-type semiconductor 5, the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 2, the P-type semiconductor 4, and the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 1, heat exchange occurs. Vessel 1
Is a heat source. Conversely, when the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 2 is selected as a positive electrode or a negative electrode, and the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 1 is set as an intermediate electrode, the current is connected to the heat exchanger 1. When the current flows to the electrode 6, the N-type semiconductor 5, the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 1, the P-type semiconductor 4, and the electrode 6 connected to the heat exchanger 2, the heat exchanger 2 It becomes a heat source.

As a result, heat is radiated from the heat exchanger 1 or 2 on the high temperature side to the heat exchanger 1 or 2 on the low temperature side, but the heat radiating surface of the heat exchanger 1 or 2 is roughened. , The directivity of the radiated heat is weakened, and the amount of radiated heat exchange between the two is reduced.

Here, it is effective if the rough surface 7 is provided on one of the heat exchangers 1 and 2 on the high temperature side. However, as in this embodiment, the heat exchange on the high temperature side is performed. If it is provided on either one of the vessels 1 or 2, the arriving heat is scattered and reflected, so that the effect is improved.

[0017]

According to the thermoelectric converter of the present invention, the directivity of the heat radiated from the high-temperature side to the low-temperature side heat exchanger is weakened, and the radiated heat exchange between the two is reduced. As a result, the thermoelectric conversion device of the present invention has an extremely high conversion efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Heat exchanger 2 Heat exchanger 3 Thermoelectric element 4 P-type semiconductor 5 N-type semiconductor 6 Electrode 7 Rough surface

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of P-type semiconductors 4 and N-type semiconductors 5 are connected to a metal electrode 6 between two substantially flat heat exchangers 1.2 arranged so as to oppose each other. The thermoelectric element 3 formed by joining in series through the interposer is arranged, and one of the adjacent electrodes 6 is connected to one of the heat exchangers 1.2,
In a thermoelectric conversion device in which one of the adjacent electrodes 6 is connected to one of the other ends of the heat exchanger 1.2, the P-type semiconductor 4 and the N-type semiconductor 5 are connected to each other at the upper end or the lower end by the electrode 6. A thermoelectric conversion device characterized in that a surface facing either the heat exchanger (1) or (2) to the inner surface of the electrode (6) is formed as a rough surface (7). 2. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the rough surface is formed by shot peening. 3. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the rough surface is formed by die molding.